I always purchase little gifts like plastic sporks or tiny 颅headlamps as stocking stuffers for my gear-nerd friends, but it seems like these items go unused (and, worse, are likely bound for an eternity as microplastics 颅littering the ocean). What are some 颅good stocking-stuffer ideas that aren鈥檛 terrible for the planet? 鈥擳rying for Tchotchkes
Dear Tchotchke,
I get not wanting to contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch this holiday season鈥攅ven if it鈥檚 for good friends or family. At a certain point, it can feel like the best present for an environmentally conscious hiker is nothing at all! But traditions are traditions, and there absolutely are trinkets you can safely stuff in a stocking that won鈥檛 end up in a sea turtle鈥檚 mouth.
From an ecological standpoint, replacing single-use items with reusable gear is an obvious tactic. And while they won鈥檛 have the same pizzazz as a fancy new headlamp, toiletry items are a great place to reduce single-use products. A little two-ounce container of won鈥檛 damage waterways, is endlessly refillable, and can be used for nearly any cleaning purpose, from washing your hair to doing your laundry. For folks who squat when they pee, an antimicrobial can replace toilet paper in the backcountry鈥攑lus they come in beautiful designs. A refillable can be used to uphold backcountry hygiene while avoiding the parade of plastic dental floss dispensers.
Technically, none of the aforementioned products are made from biodegradable 颅materials鈥攁t least not the kind you鈥檇 put in your home compost bin. For the eco-focused folks in your life, you can do one better. While many brands make dehydrated backpacking food in compostable bags, , based in Portland, Oregon, makes spectacular plant-based meals in packaging that biodegrades and burns safely (hello, weight savings). gives skis and snowboards an extra kick without adding a trail of petroleum to the spring snowmelt. And for friends and family with foot issues (who doesn鈥檛 have some light plantar fasciitis?), is a lightweight godsend after a long day of athletic exertion.
Before you purchase a gift, consider reading up on whether the brand is greenwashing. For example, while an item might claim to be 颅biodegradable, does the 颅website say how long that could take? Another good strategy is to look for third-party certification such as Fair Trade, B Corp, and Oeko Tex. And be sure to check out these eco-friendly homemade gift ideas聽from our sustainability columnist, Kristin Hostetter.
Whether your family will love your sustainable gifts or not is a question for Dr. Freud and his colleagues. But if your tchotchkes end up getting tossed, you鈥檒l at least sleep better knowing it wasn鈥檛 at Mother Nature鈥檚 expense.
Send your questions to deargear@outsideinc.com.